If you read this blog you have some idea of what the organization has been up to that attracted the nomination in the first place, but the RTD report offers some highlights. And clearly they have some strong support in this region and elsewhere, since the final victory was based on voting.

The competition included local and state-level organizations from Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Minneapolis, San Diego, Delaware, Georgia, not to mention the Cascade Bicycling Club in Seattle, where Bike Walk’s director Max Hepp-Buchanan got his start before begin lured to Richmond.

Southside Family Walk and Bike

One of the things that Bike Walk RVA has done to earn this recognition is to start Bike Walk Academy, an 8-week training session meant to encourage and educate citizen advocates for bicycling and pedestrian issues. This is a really valuable program because an advocacy organization is only as good as its supporters and local advocates.

The academy graduates have formed groups to work on issues in each region of the city. The southside group has been meeting with residents and working on organizing local residents and getting better bike lanes and cross walks. They are also holding a family bike and walk event for next weekend, on Sunday 3/29, 1:30 p.m. See details below.